"Re: Last Civil War Pension Paid Out" Topic

Irene Tripplett, the last person to receive a pension from the US government for the Civil War, has just died

She was 90 and her father (who had her when he was about 84, served in the 53rd North Carolina before defecting and joining the Union army as a galvinised Yankee

So the US government is finally off the hook for the ACW

link

Pretty amazing, isn't it?

Young women would marry old men to get a lifelong pension.

Hmmm…

$135,780 USD = $73 USD per month for 155 years
Do wives and children of later wars also get life time pensions?

Yes 79thPA, I also think it amazing.

In Australia, wives (and others such as partners and former partners in certain circumstances) can receive a widows pension from age 60. It applies for any veteran who has qualifying service (i.e. has served in operations against the enemy while in danger from hostile forces of the enemy). Although it is not paid to children (as far as I know) there are other circumstances (such as having dependent children) where the pension can be received earlier than age 60.
The maximum rate is $AUS944.30 per fortnight (the greater your income and assets the less you get) which seems fairly generous compared with the U.S.A. rates quoted by Bognar.

Bill, young ladies who didn't "take" in Victorian London were shipped to British India and known as "spins." Their targets were senior officials. Pensions passed to the widows of such, and the saying was "Five hundred a year, dead or alive" that being a decent income at the time. I don't say closer to dead was preferred, but the thought does occur.

Bobgnar, I don't think so for any US war I know of. War widows and orphans are usually provided for to an extent, but that's different. (AWI pensions didn't start until about four fifths were dead, and then they had a means test.) And I believe you'll find it didn't happen for the Civil War until the numbers were manageable. Same thing with the extension to Confederate vets. By the time they did, the eligibles could have met in a small room.

Qaama, I bet that US pension had no inflation adjustment. In her father's lifetime, it would be close to your numbers in buying power. We have what's called "G.I. Life Insurance:" if you fail to duck at a critical moment, the widow gets a lump sum of $200,000 USD the last time I checked. Widows of career men inherit--or inherited--the servicemember's pension of 50% of base pay, adjusted for inflation, and I think that's also true of disability pay. My father died seven years ago still receiving 30% of his WWII pay, adjusted for inflation, and full service at the local VA hospital. (Four of the family are on the books there. We're VERY careful about checking first names and Social Securit numbers.)

But just having been in a combat zone, if you aren't killed or disabled, only gets you combat pay: no change in pension eligibility.

This was the Civil War and as stated above it was not ordinary. The current system is layered depending on the situation. there is combat pay just while in theater, Veterans Administration Disability from when approved and varies in amount depending on the disability from 0% to 100% – this is paid to the veteran and includes money for spouse and children at 30% or greater. The retirement is based on pay grade and years of service, it is paid out to spouse even after death of the service member at a reduced rate. the life insurance is currently $400,000. USD